Retreader



Nov. 6, 1934. L, Q, GRANGE 1,980,134 I RETREADER Filed June 15, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 NVENTOR L50 0. emvp:

W Q/W ATTORNEYS Nov. 6, 1934.

L. O. GRANGE I RETREADER Filed June 15, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR L50 0. 619mm:

ATTORNEYS Nov. 6, 1934. o. GRANGE 1,980,134

RETREADER Filed June 15, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Nov. 6, 1934. L. o. GRANGE 1,980,134

Filed June 15, 1933 4 SheetS-Sheet 4 ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 6 1934 UNITED STA RETREADER Leo 0. Grange, Chicago, 111., assignor to Walter J. Jarrett, Chicago, 111.

Application June 15, 1933, Serial No. 675,916

11 Claims.

This invention relates to vulcanizers and particularly to vulcanizers for use in the retreading of tires.

Heretofore, various types of full-circle retreaders have been provided for use by tire repairmen, and it has been suggested to provide retreaders of this type including circumferentially split two part molds for producing a retreaded tire without transverse markings and more nearly of the appearance of a new tire. Such retread vulcanizers of this type which have heretofore been produced have not been entirely satisfactory because of their excessive weight and cost, inefficient heating, lack of ease and flexibility in using the equipment for different sizes of tires etc.

The general purpose of the present invention is to provide a light economically constructed retreading unit including a two part circumfer- Q, entially split matrix member'capable of being quickly raised to a vulcanizing temperature and eiilciently heated during vulcanization and adapted for easy replacement or adjustment for retreading tires of different sizes.

The foregoing and other purposes of the invention are attained in the vulcanizer illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below. It is to be understood that the invention isnot limited to the specific form thereof shown and described.

Of the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is an elevation of a retreader embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a plan thereof;

Figure 3 is an enlarged radial section through the retreader on line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a section through the vulcanizer atone of the clamping bolts;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3 of a modified form of the invention;

Figure 6 is a view similar to those of Figures 3 and 5 of another form of the invention;

Figure '7 is a view similar to Figure 6 of another embodiment of the invention, the view being two half-sectional showings of a structure with and without a skirt spacer ring; and

Figure 8 is a fragmentary top plan view of the device shown in Figure '7.

Referring to the drawings, the numerals 10, 10 designate suitable supports for one annular vulcani'zer section 11 with which the other annular vulcanizer section 12 is adapted to mate to en'- close the tread and side walls of a tire 13 mounted on a rim 14 with an enclosed inflated pressure tube or bag 15. The section 11 may have arm 16 on which an arm 17 connected to section 12 may be pivoted as at 18, the pivot 18 preferably being adjustable in slots at 19 to adapt the retreader sections with different matrices, spacers, etc., to be swung into proper mating 00- operation.

' The skirt portions 11 and 12 of the vulcanizer sections may be constructed similarly to those of the retread vulcanizer described and claimed in Patent No. 1,834,899, issued December 1, 1931, and which will not be further described herein but the body portions of the vulcanizer sections instead of being arranged to fit in the central opening of an annularvulcanizer chamber are formed' with annular chambers respectively at 20 '70 and 21 outwardly of the skirt portions 11 and 12- to receive hollow annular vulcanizer heating rings 22 and 23 therein on which rings the tread matrix members 24 and 25 are directly mounted to receive the heat therefrom. The rings 22 and 23 may have outer peripheral flanges 22* and 23 thereon by. which they may be suitably secured to 'the edges of the vulcanizer sections to-be removably mounted therein as by means of screws 26, 26 and the rings may have inner peripheral flanges 22 and 23 thereon to which the matrix members 24 and 25 may respectively. be secured removably as by screws 27, 27. The matrix members 24 and 25 may have outer peripheral flanges 24 and 25 by which they may be secured to the inner faces of the heating rings 22 and 23 as by screws 28, 28. A mold registering ring 29 may be secured to the face of one heating ring (for example ring 22) to guide one matrix by engagement with the flange portion (such as 24) into registry with the other or to hold a tread matrix spacing ring 30 in proper registry in the matrix .as shown.

The vulcanizer sections may be clamped together during vulcanization of a tire by clamp bolts 31, 31 pivoted at 32 on lugs 33 on one vulcanizer member and adapted to be swung into cooperation with bifurcated lugs 34 on the other 'mold section and. having thereon clamp plates 35 adapted to engage with'lugs 34 and clamp wheels 10 36 threaded on the bolts for drawing the vulcanizer sectionstightly together. I o

To facilitate opening the vulcanizer the section 12 may have a loop 37 thereon which may be engaged by a chain block hook (not shown) 5 to pull the section 12 off the section 11. In order that the tire shall be retained in the vulcanizer section 11 upon opening of the vulcanizer from which section it is most eifectively removed after'the vulcanizer is opened, a hook member 38 may be arranged to engage over therim 14, said hook member being adjustable along a diametral track 39 to be engagedat will over different sizes of rims and to be moved centrally of the vulcanizer to permit insertion and removal of the tires being retreaded.

A heating medium may be introduced to the heating rings 22 and 23 through suitable piping as at and 41.

In Figure 5, a modified form of the invention is shown with parts similar to the form of the invention previously described and having the same reference characters with the exception of the inner flanges of the heating rings 22 and 23 which are shown at 22 and 23 and are extended inwardly and formed withaxial flanges 22 and,

23 for embracing and protecting from injury the inner edges of the aluminum matrix members 24 and 25. I

The mode of using the retreader will be readily tundersto'odby the; skilled artisan. Heating rings and'associated matrices of the desired sizes, either'withor without the matrix spacer ring, maybe assembled with the vulcanizer sections asshown. A .tire .on arim is placed on one vulcanizer section and the vulcanizer is enclosed about the tire as shown. The tire may then be inflated under considerable pressure while heatis supplied to .the heating rings. The tire tread is thus vulcanized under heat and pressure for the required period. The vulcanizer is then opened, the hook being employed to hold the tire on the lower section from which it is thereupon removed.

Inthe form of the invention shown in Figure 6, the vulcanizer sections and 51 are formed with circumferential grooves at 52 and 53 on their mating faces arranged to receive vertical circumferential flanges 54,54 on heating rings, 55, 55. These heating rings may have matrix sections 56, 56'secured'thereto similar to the construction in Figure 5. 'In this form of the invention much less metal is' used in the vulcanizer sections, the

. --grooves'inwhich receive only the single attaching flanges of the heating rings.

As shown in Figure 6, the skirt portions 57,. 57 of the vulcanizer sections may beremovably and replaceably secured to the vulcanizer skirts 58,58 "asby'bo1ts-59 whereby skirt portions ofdifferent widths maybe employed for different sizes or shapes of tires.

The embodiment'in Figures 7 to'that of 'Figure 6 withthe exception that instead 'of'using replaceable vulcanizer skirt'members, the skirts are formed with fixed inner peripheral wall portions 60, '60, the outer peripheral edges of ,which thematrix-heating ring unit may directly abut as shown in the lower vulcanizer'sec tion in Figure 7, or the matrix-heating ring unit of another size'may be mounted in the vulcanizer and thega'p bet'ween thematrix-heating ring unit filledl by a spacer ring 61 secured in place by bolts 62.

7 '.It will be apparent from the foregoing that I applicant has provided ,a comparatively light,

flexible, economical and highly efiicient vulcanizer unit. The heating ringsare directly connected with thematrix members. to supply the heat where it is required with a minimum wastel f'Ilhe spaces about the heating ring serve to insulateto a degreefromtheatmosphere, and the heat tapers .ofi in the separate matrix skirts ,inthe effective ;-manner disclosed and claimed :insaid Patent No.

"1,834,899; -;.Obvi'ously modifications of'the invention "may he resorted to without departing from and 8 is similar the spirit thereof. or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is: p

1. A tire retread vulcanizer comprising mating annular sections having inner peripheral matrix skirt portions and annular chambers radially outwardly thereof in the mating faces of the vulcanizer sections, and units removably mounted in said chambers comprising annular heating rings receivable in said chambers in spaced relation to the walls thereof and having means for securing them in supporting engagement with the walls of said chambers, and matrix members removably secured directly to the inner peripheries of said heating rings and adapted to mate and to form a tire tread mold in cooperation with said matrix skirt portions.

2. A tire retread vulcanizer comprising mating annular sections having inner peripheral matrix skirt portions and annular chambers radially outwardly thereof in, the matingifacesof the vulcanizerv sections, and units removably'mounted insaid chambers comprising annular heating rings re ceivable in said chambers andhavins meansd securingthem in supportingengagement withthe walls of said chambersv-and matrix members re.- movably secured directly to'the. inner peripheries oisaid heating rings andadapted to mate and to form;.a tire tread mold in cooperation with said matrix skirt portions.

3, A tire retreading vulcanizer including cooperating annular vulcanizer sections having inwardly extending skirts and units each comprisn n nn l r :heating unit, and an annular matrix 'memberremovably mounted on each of 110 said vuloanizer sections radially outwardly of-said skirts, said skirts having-portiom forming continuations inwardly-of said matrix. i

4, A tire retr.eading vulcanizer. including nooperating; annular vulcanizer sections having in- 115 wardly extending skirts, a'heating ring removably mounted on each section outwardly of said skirts,

a matrix section} foreach vulcanizer-section, and means for securing a matrix section in .directfoontact haid heatin in saidskirts,providing 120 inward continuations of said matrix section.

- 15,. A tire retreading vulcanizer asset ,,f0rth-in claim 3, said skirt portions contacting with and extending radially inwardly. from said units, said ing with and extending inwardly from said units of a certain-size, and removableskirt-spacer rings for filling the gaps between said skirtportions and said units of a difierentsize.

8; A tire retread vulcanizer including annular vulcanizer seotions and annular-matrix sections 5 removably and replaceably carried thereby, lsaid yulcanizer. having skirt portions fcr.,-form ll :fiontinuations :of said matrix sections inwardly ,ofthe 1 vulcanizer, said skirt portions comprising aiixed portion for .cooperating lwith a matrix ,of ne size, 159

and replaceable skirt spacer rings adapted to be secured between said fixed skirt portions and a matrix of another size.

9. A tire retread vulcanizer comprising mating annular sections having inner peripheral matrix skirt portions and annular chambers radially outwardly thereof in the mating faces of the vulcanizer sections, and units removably mounted in said chambers comprising annular heating rings receivable in said chambers in spaced relation to the walls thereof and having means for securing them in supporting engagement with the walls of said chambers, and matrix members on the inner peripheries of said heating rings and adapted to mate and to form a tire tread mold in cooperation with said matrix skirt portions.

10. A tire retread vulcanizer comprising mating annular sections having inner peripheral matrix skirt portions and annular chambers radially outsections removably and replaceably carried there- I by, said vulcanizer sections having skirt portions forming continuations of said matrix radially in-. wardly of the vulcanizer, said skirt portions being removably and replaceably supported on said vulcanizer sections.

LEO 0. GRANGE. 

